Electrical connector assemblies typically include opposed matable electrical connector halves, each of which have a dielectric housing mounting a plurality of electrical terminals secured therein. Electrical conductors or wire leads may be terminated to the terminals mounted in the housings, or the housing may mate with still other connectors. The dielectric housing of at least one of the connector halves may be mounted to a panel. Many connectors, such as drawer connectors, include a pair of panel mounted connector halves which are matable with one another by movement of at least one of the panels toward the other.
The dielectric housings of drawer connectors typically are molded from a suitable plastic material and preferably define a unitary or one-piece molded plastic structure. The opposed housings normally include appropriate guide structures for guiding the two matable connector halves into a mated electrical connection. However, to facilitate initial mechanical alignment of the connector housings, at least one connector half is provided with a floating mount relative to its respective panel. Various types of floating panel mounts for electrical connectors have been provided in the art. One such floating panel mount is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,820,180 to Mosquera et al, dated Apr. 11, 1989 and assigned to the assignee of this invention, and which is incorporated herein by reference.
In addition, certain applications may require that a panel mounted electrical connector be polarized relative to the panel in which it is mounted. In other words, it may be required that the connector have a particular orientation relative to its panel. Therefore, additional structure is required to provide for such polarization.
Still further, many connector halves of a panel mounted electrical connector system are provided as different male and female electrical connector halves. This requires two different structures, particularly two distinct dielectric housing configurations for the pair of panel mounted connectors. It would be desirable to provide a hermaphroditic connector system wherein the pair of panel mounted connector halves are identical in construction yet providing all of the other features of a desirable floating panel mount system, such as polarization of the connectors and floating of at least one of the connectors relative to its panel. This invention is directed to providing such an efficient system.